Embedded Files
06/2026
TWIN | Our research in the news
We're thrilled to share that our research was featured in Público, one of Portugal's leading newspapers. The piece highlights the findings from our Toy Story Research Series, bringing our work to a wider audience and sparking new conversations about the themes we've been exploring.
Read the full article here
06/2026
TWIN | Bringing playfulness to the European X-Ray Spectrometry Conference
TWIN | Bringing playfulness to the European X-Ray Spectrometry Conference
Leonor Rodrigues, a master's student in Physics Engineering at FCUL (University of Lisbon) conducting her research under the Toy Story project, will be presenting her findings at the European X-Ray Spectrometry Conference (EXRS 2026), taking place in Catania, Italy. Her poster, entitled "Optimization of X-ray Methodologies for Tinplate Toys Characterization", focuses on the application of X-ray spectrometry (experimental setup on slide 2) to study the stratigraphy and production techniques behind historic tinplate toys, with a commitment to fully non-destructive procedures that preserve the physical integrity of the objects.
06/2026
TOY STORY | Seminar "Tinplate Toy Heritage as Way to Innovation"
TOY STORY | Seminar "Tinplate Toy Heritage as Way to Innovation"
The Toy Story Series team hosted a one-day seminar at NOVA FCT (Monte da Caparica), marking a significant transition point in the project's journey — bringing together the threads of ongoing research into what is now the Toy Story Project Series.
The event united invited international specialists from different research contexts, whose contributions spanned history, materials science, conservation, sociology, and education, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of this field of study. Their presentations offered broader insights into the materiality, technological evolution, design, and educational potential of tinplate toys, grounding the discussion in current international research and opening new avenues for cross-border dialogue on toy heritage.
A central moment of the seminar was the presentation of the preliminary results of the Toy Story project, alongside the connections being forged with the TWIN project — exploring how heritage research can inform educational practices and inspire culturally meaningful design.
Together, these initiatives reaffirm toy heritage as a living platform for innovation and reinterpretation, and this seminar stood as a milestone in that collective endeavour.
📷 João Lima/NOVA FCT
05/2026
TOY STORY | Seminar "Colour in play: expression, technique and memory on tinplate toys"
TOY STORY | Seminar "Colour in play: expression, technique and memory on tinplate toys"
Presented by Isabel Tissot, the seminar took place in Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal), where tinplate toys were used as the starting point to talk the evolution of colour in Art throughout History.
03/2026
TOY STORY | Seminar "Tinplate toys - the importance of matter conservation to preserve cultural identity"
TOY STORY | Seminar "Tinplate toys - the importance of matter conservation to preserve cultural identity"
Presented by Isabel Tissot, the seminar took place in Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal), where tinplate toys were used as the starting point to talk about diagnosis lab techniques.
02/2026
TOY STORY | 1st International Congress on Toys
TOY STORY | 1st International Congress on Toys
Toy Story team took part in the 1st International Congress on Toys, held on February 6 and 7 in Ponte de Lima, Portugal. The event gathered academics, museum professionals, manufacturers, and collectors, creating an important forum for reflection and dialogue on toy heritage.
Our contribution included the presentation of the paper entitled “Ingenuity and Art in Tinplate Toys: When Material Speaks of Cultural Identity.” The presentation explored the material, artistic, and identity dimensions of tinplate toys, highlighting their cultural and historical significance.
The congress was part of the celebrations marking the 900th anniversary of the Charter of Ponte de Lima, underscoring the importance the municipality — home to the Portuguese Toy Museum — places on the preservation and promotion of toy heritage.
Our participation proved highly positive, allowing us to strengthen existing partnerships and establish new collaborations, further reinforcing Toy Story’s commitment to research, knowledge-sharing, and the dissemination of toy heritage.
12/2025
TOY STORY | AR-PA Iberian Cultural Heritage Biennial
TOY STORY | AR-PA Iberian Cultural Heritage Biennial
Integrated within the NOVA FCT exhibition space, the AR-PA event allowed us to highlight several of the heritage projects currently underway at NOVA FCT and to connect with numerous heritage institutions, promoting fruitful exchanges and networking.
09/2025
TOY STORY | METAL 2025
Conference Proceedings
TOY STORY | METAL 2025
Conference Proceedings
Click here to read the Proceedings, including the research paper "From Cans to Toys: Preserving Tinplate Historical Recycling".
06/2025
TOY STORY | We won a NOVA Ignition Grant
TOY STORY | We won a NOVA Ignition Grant
Old toys, new perspectives
20th-century history told through toys: researchers analyse tinplate toys to understand social, industrial, and technological changes.
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